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The Business Platinum card from American Express OPEN is an excellent premium travel card for
business owners. The card is part of the Membership Rewards program, which has points that can be
transferred to an array of travel partners, redeemed for airfare through American Express Travel and
used toward statement credits.

Membership Rewards points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for statement credits and 1.54
cents when redeemed for airfare through the travel center. The card’s sign-up bonus of up to 75,000
Membership Rewards points is worth $750 when applied toward statement credits or $1,155 when
redeemed for flights via Amex Travel.

However, you’ll potentially get a lot more value if you transfer your points to Amex’s airline and hotel
partners. That same sign-up bonus could be worth anywhere from $1,358 to as much as $4,215 if you
redeem with an airline partner! Premium cabin redemptions for international travel typically yield the
most value.

The Business Platinum card’s annual fee is $450, which isn’t low, but Amex rewards and benefits can
easily outweigh the fee. It’s a great choice for a business traveler who values flexible rewards and
complimentary lounge access.

American Express Platinum Card: Bonuses and Benefits

Knowing what benefits come with a credit card can help you decide if it’s a good fit for you. Here we cover the bonuses and perks that the American Express Business Platinum Card® offers and the value of the AMEX Membership Rewards® points you earn.

Bonuses

The Business Platinum card from American Express is offering 50,000 Membership Rewards points to
cardholders who spend $10,000 and another 25,000 points after spending an additional $10,000 within
the first three months of opening an account. That’s a total of 75,000 American Express rewards points.

The Business Platinum card offers business owners a $200 airline credit that can be applied toward
incidental charges, such as checked luggage, premium seat selection and in-flight meals. For the credit
to apply, card members must designate one airline of their choice and charge the incidentals to the
Business Platinum card. The airline can be changed once per year in January.

Although authorized users' charges made with the selected airline can be wiped out by the credit, a total
of $200 in credits applies per account. In other words, authorized users do not receive their own
$200 toward airline fees.

Cardholders who redeem their Membership Rewards points toward airfare through American Express
Travel receive 35 percent of their points back as a rebate, which makes American Express points worth
1.54 cents each.

The rebate applies to economy flights on the member’s selected airline, or business-class and first-class
tickets on any airline booked through Amex Travel when they choose to use the Pay with Points
feature. A mix of cash and points can be used to book a flight, but the rebate applies only to the points
portion of the airfare. A maximum of 500,000 points per calendar year can be redeemed.

The rebate rate of 35 percent recently dropped from a more generous rate of 50 percent and applies to
all flights that are booked after June 1, 2017. Business owners who opened their card between October
6, 2016, and May 31, 2017, will continue to receive 50 percent of their points back for a full year from
the date of account opening. In this case, Membership Rewards points are valued at 2 cents apiece.

American Express cardholders have access to preferred seating at major concert venues. Tickets
available through the Preferred Seating program are available to cardholders at no extra cost and must
be purchased with an eligible Amex card. Availability varies by performance, and blackout dates apply.

What You Get

Earn 50,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months

Get an additional 25,000 for spending an additional $10,000 within 3 months

That's a total of 75,000 points after spending $20,000 within 3 months

An annual $200 airline credit for incidental fees and expenses

35% point rebate for select flights purchased through the Amex travel

Membership Rewards points do not expire as long as the card remains open and the account is in good
standing. However, closing the card will make all the points vanish. Cardholders can keep their
transferrable points alive by keeping at least one MR-earning card active, such as the no-fee Amex
EveryDay card or Blue Business Plus card. If opening new credit cards is not an option, transferring
Membership Rewards to a travel partner is another way of keeping them safe.

What is the value of the Membership Rewards® Points?

The Business Platinum card is part of the Amex Membership Rewards program. MR points can be redeemed via Amex Travel
at a rate of 1.54 cents per point for economy flights that are operated by the member’s designated carrier or for
premium-cabin flights operated by any carrier. The card’s sign-up bonus of 75,000 points is worth $1,155 when redeemed
toward airfare in those instances. Flights that are booked with points through Amex Travel are eligible to accrue both
redeemable and elite qualifying miles.

Amex points transferred to an airline partner’s loyalty program can generate a higher value, depending on the class of
service booked and season of travel, which also affect the cost of revenue flights. Utilizing the right award chart can
yield a high return.

Although transferring points to international airlines is free, American Express passes excise taxes in the amount of
$0.0006 per point on to cardholders for all domestic airline partners. For example, transferring 30,000 MR points to
Delta costs $18.

Sign-up Bonus

Flight Type

Average CPM

RE® VALUE

50,000

points

Economy · Domestic

1.81cpm

$905

Business · Domestic

1.91cpm

$955

Economy · International

1.91cpm

$955

Business · International

5.62cpm

$2,810

What is CPM and How Is It Calculated?

Cents Per Mile (CPM) is a way to measure the value of miles.
It tells you how many cents you get for each mile you redeem by dividing
the cash price of the airline ticket (minus taxes and fees charged for an award ticket)
by the number of miles the award flight costs. This is a somewhat subjective calculation because
the price of the flight in both cash and miles fluctuates by season and availability.

The Best Ways to Redeem Membership Rewards Points

When booking airfare through Amex Travel, cardholders can either pay cash or redeem their MR points
at a value of 1 cent per point. At first glance, this use of points might not seem the most valuable.
However, when 35 percent of the points are reimbursed, their value goes up to 1.54 cents per point.
Please note that the points must be available for booking the original airfare first, and Amex reimburses
the points later. Let’s look at some examples.

We searched for domestic flights from New York City to Miami in August on Delta Air Lines. Searching on
Amex Travel returned a result of $698 for a round-trip ticket in first class. After the rebate, the ticket
costs 45,370 Membership Rewards points. In addition, the flight would earn redeemable SkyMiles and
elite qualification miles per the usual rewards structure.

When we searched for the itinerary on Delta’s website, the same flights came to 70,000 SkyMiles. In this
instance, redeeming MR points toward airfare via Amex Travel presents a better value that redeeming
SkyMiles directly with Delta. Of course, depending on cash costs, your results may vary and you should
always check all options before redeeming miles for airfare.

The Best Way to Redeem Rewards for Travel in

Economy Class

Roundtrip Domestic

Austin–New York

Economy class

Miles price

15,000points

+$29 fee

Dollars price

$299

1.8cpm

Good Value

Chicago–Los Angeles

Economy class

Miles price

24,700points

+$0 fee

Dollars price

$247

1.0cpm

Good Value

Seattle–Denver

Economy class

Miles price

18,600points

+$0 fee

Dollars price

$186

1.0cpm

Good Value

Roundtrip International

New York–Moscow

Economy class

Miles price

51,500points

+$251 fee

Dollars price

$810

1.09cpm

Good Value

Los Angeles–Paris

Economy class

Miles price

49,750points

+$300 fee

Dollars price

$1,605

2.62cpm

Excellent Value

Houston–Frankfurt

Economy class

Miles price

49,750points

+$360 fee

Dollars price

$1,777

2.85cpm

Excellent Value

Roundtrip Domestic

Miami–Honolulu

Business class

Miles price

80,000points

+$20 fee

Dollars price

$2,083

2.57cpm

Excellent Value

Miami–Washington

Business class

Miles price

52,900points

+$0 fee

Dollars price

$529

1.0cpm

Good Value

Pittsburgh–Houston

Business class

Miles price

50,000points

+$13 fee

Dollars price

$827

1.63cpm

Good Value

Roundtrip International

Washington–Porto

Business class

Miles price

88,000points

+$503 fee

Dollars price

$5,041

5.15cpm

Excellent Value

Los Angeles–Tel Aviv

Business class

Miles price

104,000points

+$395 fee

Dollars price

$4,403

3.85cpm

Excellent Value

Atlanta–Madrid

Business class

Miles price

88,000points

+$654 fee

Dollars price

$4,044

3.85cpm

Excellent Value

Other ways you can redeem points

Hotel Stays

3 partners3 part.

Membership Rewards points transfer to Hilton Honors at a ratio of 1-to- 1.5, to Choice Privilege at a 1-1
ratio and to SPG at a ratio of 1-to- 0.33, but the options don’t present the best value for your points. MR
points are worth more than Hilton Honors points when transferred to other partners.

Car Rental

4 partners4 part.

You can redeem Amex points for vouchers which can be used to book car rentals from four partners,
including Avis and Hertz.

Gift Cards

64 partners64 part.

Membership Rewards Program partners with 64 merchants, and points can be redeemed toward
merchant gift cards. Sometimes the rates are lower than 1 cent per point, so save your points and use
them toward something else.

Cash Back

It is possible to redeem MR points as cash back in the form of statement credits applied to your bill, but
as with gift cards, this won’t offer the most return on your points.

Everyday Earnings with Amex Business Platinum Credit Card

The Business Platinum card from American Express OPEN earns 5 points per dollar spent on airfare and
prepaid hotel bookings made directly through American Express Travel. The card also earns 1.5 points
per dollar spent on all single transactions of $5,000 or more. All other purchases earn 1 point per
dollar. There are no limits imposed on the number of points business owners can earn on everyday
spending, which means the points will add up quickly.

Business Platinum card Rewards

Your Monthly Charges

Rewards You Will Earn Annually

24,000points$434in dollar value

Travel

5points/$1

Hotel

1points/$1

Car Rental

1points/$1

Grocery

1points/$1

Any single purchase of $5,000 or more

1.5points/$1

All Other Purchases

1points/$1

Travel Benefits

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit

Most premium cards offer this benefit, and the Business Platinum card is no exception. Cardholders receive a statement credit every four years after applying for either
TSA PreCheck ($85) or Global Entry ($100). Keep in mind that Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck, so you
might as well apply for Global Entry if you don't mind waiting for an interview.

Global Lounge Collection

This premium travel card unlocks access to more airport lounges worldwide than any other card. Card members have access to not only to Priority Pass lounges, but also Delta Sky
Clubs and Amex Centurion Lounges. Delta Sky Club includes complimentary access to the cardholder
only, but Priority Pass lounges and the Centurion Lounges include access for the cardholder and up to
two guests.

Fine Hotels & Resorts

Cardholders can book a luxury stay with the Fine Hotels & Resorts program that offers early check-in, late checkout, room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and in-room Wi-Fi, based
on availability. Additionally, Fine Resorts & Hotels sometimes offers promotions for a third or a fourth
night free.

Hilton Honors and Starwood Preferred Guest Gold Status

Business Platinum cardholders are eligible to enroll in complimentary Hilton Honors and Starwood Preferred Guest Gold status without meeting any stay requirements.

Gogo Preferred Program

Both primary cardholders and authorized users are eligible for 10 complimentary passes for in-flight internet per year.

Concierge Service

Card member can utilize a complimentary concierge line every time they need reservations at hard-to- get-into restaurants and Broadway shows, or to help plan a trip. No request is
too large or too small. The services are performed day and night on your behalf and are charged to your Business Platinum card.

Earn Elite Status Fast

Business owners who are also Amex Business Platinum cardholders are eligible for complimentary Hilton
Honors Gold status and Starwood Preferred Guest Gold status without meeting any spending or stay
requirements. Since Marriott’s acquisition of the Starwood portfolio last year, it is possible to match
your Starwood Gold elite status to Marriott Rewards Gold status and receive elite perks at all three
chains simply by being a card member.

Get Hilton Honors Gold status just for being a cardholder

Complimentary SPG Gold status also comes with the Platinum card

Fees: the cost of Having Amex Business Platinum Credit Card

The card’s annual fee is $450, which means it entails quite a bit of spending to earn enough MR
points to break even. Depending on how you value your points, your personal valuations may differ.
If you value Amex points at a rate of 1.81 cents apiece, you’ll have to spend $24,862 on the card
annually, assuming none of the spending earns a point multiplier. As you might have guessed,
earning bonus points makes the spending easier to achieve.

Unfortunately, the annual fee is not waived for the first year. However, after taking into account all
the benefits, including lounge access, the Airline Fee credit, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck enrollment
reimbursement and the point redemption rebate, the high fee becomes worth it.

Annual Fee

$450

Foreign Transaction Fee

0%

Late Payment Fee

$38 or 2.99% of any past due Pay in Full amount, whichever is greater

See What It Takes to Cover an Annual Fee:

Your Average Monthly Spend

Months to Cover Annual Fee

13months

Recommendations

We strongly recommend to spend not less than
$8,288
per months to cover the annual fee in three months.

Does the Card Pay for Itself?

We’ve broken out our estimates for the first- and second-year net earnings you’ll get with the Business
Platinum card®. Is the card worth getting, and should you keep it after you get the sign-up bonus? Let’s
find out.

These estimates are based on an annual monthly spend of $2,000

First Year

Signup Bonus

$905

Anniversary Bonus

$0

Everyday Rewards

$434

Statement Credit

$200

Free Bags

$0

Earnings

$1,539

Foreign Transaction Fees

-$0

APRS Charges

-$0

Annual Fee

-$450

Charges

-$450

Rewards Earned First Year

$1,089

Second Year

Signup Bonus

$0

Anniversary Bonus

$0

Everyday Rewards

$434

Statement Credit

$200

Free Bags

$0

Earnings

$634

Foreign Transaction Fees

-$0

APRS Charges

-$0

Annual Fee

-$450

Charges

-$450

Rewards Earned Second Year

$184

Top 5 Benefits of the Business Platinum Card®

The Business Platinum card is one of the most rewarding premium travel cards for business owners. Below are the card’s best benefits.

Great Sign-Up Bonus: 75,000 Membership Rewards points are worth at least $1,155 when redeemed toward airfare through Amex Travel or possibly a lot more when transferred to airline partners. The value of the sign-up bonus alone is enough to wipe out the first year’s annual fee.

35% Airline Bonus: Each time you use American Express Travel to book economy flights on your airline of choice or premium cabin on any airline and pay with MR points, you receive 35 percent of your points back in a form of a rebate. You can save a lot of miles by booking free flights this way.

$200 Airline Fee Credit: The airline fee credit can be used toward checked baggage, seat assignments, taxes on award flights and on-board meals and entertainment, plus the statement credit applies automatically. It’s even possible to be reimbursed for gift cards bought from some airlines and use them later.

Gold Status with Hilton Honors and Starwood Preferred Guest: You’ll receive complimentary Gold Status with two hotels chains: Hilton and Starwood. Both elite programs offer various benefits to Gold members, including room upgrades at check-in if available, late checkout when available, complimentary breakfast at some properties and the ability to book the 5th Night Free for Hilton elite guests when booking a stay with Hilton Honors Points.

50% More Points on Large Transactions: Having a business means making large purchases from time to time. However, heavy spending doesn’t have to sting as much. The Business Platinum card earns 1.5 MR points on transactions that are at least $5,000, essentially earning 50 percent more points on big bills or purchases.

Should You Get the Business Platinum Card®?

If you have a business and are looking for a premium travel rewards card that offers a large sign-up
bonus and flexible rewards, then the Business Platinum card from American Express makes for a
great choice. You’ll receive 75,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 in the first
three months of card membership.

Although the card’s annual fee of $450 is not waived for the first year and the minimum-spending
requirements are high, the card’s perks and benefits, such as the $200 airline fee credit, hotel elite
status and access to a wide network of airport lounges, more than make up for it.

The flexible points can be redeemed for various items: airfare through American Express Travel,
award flights booked with Amex’s partners, merchant gift cards and statement credits. Having
redemption options means your points are safe when individual loyalty programs devalue their
award charts.

The Business Platinum card is a great choice for business owners who travel, enjoy lounge access
and spend a lot on day-to- day business expenses.

FAQs

Need more info? Check out our frequently asked questions. If you have other questions, please click on “Ask Now” below.

Opening a business credit card is a great way to keep business expenditures separate from personal
expenses. Even though this card is for business owners, individuals with a sole proprietorship can
qualify. Do you sell goods on eBay or freelance as a photographer? You can qualify as a sole proprietor
by providing a Social Security number in place of the Employer Identification Number (EIN) on the online
application. As long as you answer all the questions about your income and type of business to the best
of your knowledge, you should be able to qualify for the Business Platinum card from American Express
OPEN.

American Express will not approve its members for more than two Amex cards in a 90-day period.
Additionally, the issuer implements once-per- lifetime rules when it comes to earning multiple sign-up
bonuses on the same Amex cards. Only those applicants who haven’t received a bonus on the Business
Platinum card previously are eligible for the welcome offer. However, if you’ve received a bonus on the
personal version of the Platinum card before and not the business card, you can still qualify for the
bonus on the business version because the two cards are considered different products.

The Business Platinum card is a charge card, which means the balance has to be paid off every month
and no interest is accrued. Additionally, no credit limit is set, which offers flexibility when making large
business purchases. Down the line, eligible members can be invited to enroll in the Pay Over Time
feature, which allows members to carry balance on purchases that are $100 or more, just like with a
regular credit card. Although the option could be presented based on creditworthiness, we do not
recommend accruing interest because high interest rates can wipe out any rewards you earn quickly.

The personal version of the Platinum card offers cardholders a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership
Rewards points after spending $5,000 in the first three months of opening an account. The card earns 5 X
points per dollar spent on airfare purchased directly with airlines, as well as for hotels and flights
purchased through Amex Travel. The card also offers a $200 airline fee credit, $200 of annual Uber
credits and complimentary airport lounge access. The annual fee of 550 is not waived.

The Business Rewards Gold card comes with a sign-up bonus of 50,000 MR points for members who
spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership. This small business charge
card waives the annual fee of 175 for the first year.

The Premier Rewards Gold card offers 25,000 Amex points as a sign-up bonus to cardholders who spend
$2,000 in the first three months of account opening. The card earns 3 points per dollar spent on airfare
purchased directly with airlines, 2 points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants, gas stations and
supermarkets, and 1 point per dollar for everything else. The annual fee of $195 is waived for the first year.

Compare the Business Platinum Card® to Other Cards

The Business Platinum card is a great card for business travelers. However, there are a few other
premium cards available that are worth mentioning. All of the cards below offer flexible points that can
be transferred to airlines and hotels.

50,000points offer

Check if American Express Business Platinum Card® is the best option for you

Aside from the Business Platinum, the personal Platinum card from American Express offers the largest
welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards points. It also charges the highest annual fee of $550
that is not waived for the first year. Transfer partners are the same as with the Business Platinum card
because both cards accrue Membership Rewards points.

The Business Gold Rewards card is also a card with the American Express rewards program. It offers
small-business owners 50,000 American Express points that can be transferred to an array of airline and
hotel partners.

Card Overview

Whenever you apply for a credit card make sure you read the terms and conditions of the card and the rewards program to find out about minimum spend requirements and any restrictions to ensure you can successfully obtain the card and earn the rewards it offers.

Card Details

Excellent credit score

Issuer

American Express

Use miles

Yes

Pay with points

Yes

Flight Features

Available airline

Any

Loyalty Program

Membership Rewards®

Flights Type

Domestic and International

Alliance

Star Alliance, SkyTeam, OneWorld

Travel Partners

Airlines

Yes

Hotels

Yes

Car Rental

Yes

Cruise

Yes

Card Terms and Conditions

While it's easy to focus on the rewards offered by the Business Platinum card®, it's worth taking a closer
look at the terms and conditions. There's a lot to consider as you think about how you're going to use
the card. Will you carry a balance, get a cash advance or maybe make a big purchase? Below is a
rundown of the various interest rates, purchase protections, security features and mobile banking
options that come with the Amex card.

Purchases

Intro APR:

N/A

Intro APR for balance transfers:

N/A

Ongoing APR:

N/A

Minimum Grace Period:

See Terms and Conditions

Extended Warranty Protection:

Provides up to one extra year added to the original U.S. manufacturer’s warranty. Applies to warranties of 5 years or less.
Coverage is up to a maximum of $10,000 per item and not to exceed $50,000 per year.

Purchase Protection:

Provides up to one extra year added to the original U.S. manufacturer’s warranty. Applies to warranties of 5 years or less.
Coverage is up to a maximum of $10,000 per item and not to exceed $50,000 per year.

Return Protection:

Get a refund for purchases if the merchant will not honor an item’s return. Coverage is limited to 90 days from purchase and up to $300 per item and $1,000 per year.

Cash Advance Features

Ongoing APR:

See Terms and Conditions

Cash Advance Fee:

See Terms and Conditions

Security and Protections

American Express provides its card members with a level of security that offers a peace of mind. The
Business Platinum card comes with a variety of features, such as account alerts and chip technology,
which help protect you against fraudulent charges and identity theft.

Account alerts:

Set up alerts so you can avoid late payments, be notified of irregular activity or monitor employee card spending and more.

EMV Chip Technology:

Get global acceptance and enhanced security at merchants that use chip enabled terminals.

Credit score monitoring:

Monitor your credit history for unusual activity, including recently opened accounts and inquiries made on your history.

Mobile Banking

American Express cards are compatible with mobile wallet apps, such as Apple Pay, Android Pay and
Samsung Pay. More and more merchants now let customers tap and pay and be on their way — it’s fast and easy.

Banking on the Go:

Track your account with the Amex mobile app.

Easy and Safe Transactions:

Compatible with Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay.

Additional Cardholder Benefits

The American Express Business Platinum card offers some of the best cardholder benefits, including a wide variety of coverage for travel-related incidents ranging from rental car accidents to lost baggage and more.

American Express Travel Benefits

Roadside Assistance:

Premium roadside assistance covers cardholders up to four times per year
when they're in their car and need towing, winching, lockout service, battery jump, flat tire
change or fuel delivery. Coverage is available in the United States, District of Columbia, Canada,
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Baggage Insurance Plan:

Card members receive secondary coverage for their checked and carry-on luggage when they purchase the entire fare with their
Business Platinum card or Membership Rewards points.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance:

The benefit provides secondary coverage of rental vehicles and offers secondary collision damage or theft waiver when the cardholder uses the
card to pay for the rental and declines the collision damage waiver offered by the rental
company. Coverage kicks in after your primary insurance has exhausted its allowance. The plan
covers the cost to fix or replace the car, pays $5,000 of medical expenses per person and up to
$200,000 for loss of life.

Travel Accident Insurance:

The benefit covers unexpected events, bodily injuries and loss of life when using a common carrier to travel. To be covered, card members must purchase the entire
fare with their Business Platinum card or Membership Rewards points. The plan pays up to
$250,000 for loss of one hand or one foot or sight in one eye and up to $500,000 for loss of both
hands, feet, eyes or life.